The University of Zimbabwe's membership was spearheaded by economics lecturer Albert Makochekanwa, a participant in the October 2011 Virtual Institute workshop on trade and trade policy analysis as well as the 2013 Virtual Institute online course on trade and poverty.

The Virtual Institute will cooperate with the Department of Economics in UZ's Faculty of Social Studies. The oldest department at the university, the Department of Economics aims to be a centre of excellence in economics teaching and research in Zimbabwe and more widely in Africa.

The Department offers bachelor's and master's degree programmes in economics, which comprise courses in international, development, environmental, agricultural, industrial, natural resources, and monetary economics, as well as in quantitative methods, international trade theory and policy, and macroeconomic theory and policy. The Department also offers an executive certificate in international trade and finance, which features courses on regional integration and the multilateral trading system, international trade finance, and customs management, among others.

Mr. Makochekanwa will serve as coordinator of UZ's cooperation with the Virtual Institute. A doctor in economics, he teaches courses on international economics; international trade theory and policy; international trade and finance; regional integration and the multilateral trading system; customs theory, management and practice; econometrics; macroeconomics; and managerial economics. His areas of research include trade flows (intra-industry and inter-industry trade, textiles, agrifood products), trade liberalization, migration/trade in services mode IV, inequality, regional integration, and inflation/currency issues.

He is joined by Fanuel Hazvina, who is responsible for courses on international trade theory and policy; the essentials of international trade theory and policy; regional integration and the multilateral trading system; customs theory, management and practice; environmental economics; and natural resources economics. Fanuel Hazvina has published on regional integration, South-South foreign direct investment, economic partnership agreements, and trade and climate change.

UZ is ready to contribute to Virtual Institute network research on topics such as trade and poverty in the context of Southern Africa. The University expects its participation in the Virtual Institute to support the design of course outlines and teaching materials, and to provide staff training opportunities through short courses, exchange programmes and online courses. For further information, visit the University's profile on the Virtual Institute website.